Geneva author Weller to lecture at Waubonsee
The story is told that Sam Weller was still in his mother's womb during the major snowstorm that hit the Chicago area in 1967 and his snowbound father read aloud a book by Ray Bradbury. And Sam moved around, as if in an attempt to better hear the words of one of America's greatest fiction writers.
Weller may have shown a flair for his own writing by the time he graduated from Geneva High School in 1985, but it would have been hard to predict he would become a famous author himself with his 2005 biography, “The Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray Bradbury.”
The book reached best-seller status across the country, as Weller was the first author to document the life of Bradbury, who gained fame with “Fahrenheit 451” and “The Martian Chronicles.”
Weller returns to the area at 11 a.m. Tuesday when he will lecture and conduct a book signing in the Academic and Professional Center at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove.
“I do get out to Geneva quite often because my sister and brother-in-law live there,” said Weller, who went to Geneva High School after attending Elgin Academy from sixth grade through freshman year. “My dad lives in St. Charles. I still love the Fox River Valley and have very fond memories of growing up there.”
Waubonsee instructor Dan Portincaso is organizing the lecture and said Weller will read from his work and discuss “his writing and his journey from graduating from Geneva High School to becoming the official biographer of one of the most important writers of the 20th century.”
Weller's newest book is titled “Listen to the Echoes,” and is based on his interviews with Bradbury. Books will be available for purchase after Weller's presentation.
Weller, who is a frequent literary critic in the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times, is a professor in the fiction writing department at Columbia College in Chicago.
“As a college professor myself, I firmly believe that every student deserves at least one teacher in their life who is a great mentor,” said Weller, who pointed to Peter Berra and Deborah Riley at Elgin Academy, and history teacher Thomas Grubaugh at Geneva High as some who stood out in nurturing his skills and motivating him to succeed.
Rebuild on hold?
So, what's going on with the effort to rebuild the Farnsworth Mansion?
A reader posed that question, and I tried to find out because plenty of folks in St. Charles were miffed when the historic mansion first met the wrecking ball. But I found it rather quiet on the Farnsworth Mansion front.
The Civil War era mansion made headlines in the late 1980s when it was taken down despite protests, along with the former Valley Lutheran High School, to make way for the ViewPointe development on Route 31 in St. Charles. The original developers bailed on the project, and another developer eventually completed it.
Years later, an effort to rebuild the mansion with its original stones was under way. Most recently, Kim Malay, who has been active in other causes in the city, was spearheading the mansion project.
After checking out the farnsworthmansion.com website, I called the contact number and got a message about signing up for a Civil War Ball in May. There is no telling if it was referring to last May or next year, or two years ago. I left messages twice, and never heard back.
St. Charles Heritage Center employees said they haven't heard much about the Farnsworth project lately, so my next move is this: If anyone knows anything about this project I can share with readers, send me an e-mail.
Forty years of harmony
The Arcada Theatre again proved to be the perfect setting for a band celebrating its longevity. The recent show that America staged as part of its 40th anniversary tour made for a special night and reminded us how lucky we are that Ron Onesti saved the Arcada from a complete shutdown five years ago.
And I am certain that those who attended the BoDeans concert the following night felt the same way.
Coming alive again
About a week ago, my wife and I walked past the darkened Sage Bistro location on the Fox River in St. Charles. I made the comment that it was hard to believe such an excellent location for a restaurant remained closed, but it illustrated the choppy waters this prolonged recession has created for local eateries.
But the news came out shortly after that about George Guggels of Naperville planning to reopen the site with a whole new look. He's zeroing in on an American bistro with a family atmosphere at the location.
Erik and Me, and then Sage Bistro after it, seemed to have good success over the years at this Fox Island Square location, but we've learned one thing about the restaurant business over the years: What you see is not always a reality in the world of dollars and sense that drives this business.
Get better, Bill
Bill Ogiego of St. Charles finally got out of the hospital last week and is recovering from surgery to correct complications in his lungs from pneumonia. Ogiego, the assistant at Pottawatomie Golf Course for the past several years, had been feeling ill much of the summer, and was hospitalized for more than a week when his breathing became difficult.
A wonderful mission
Congratulations to the men and women at Geneva United Methodist Church for completing a year of providing free community meals on the third Tuesdays of the month.
The goodwill and fellowship that is the cornerstone of this event, and others like it at area churches, is something that will go down in the local history books as a bright light during some tough economic times. Possibly even more importantly, it brings families together on a regular basis in a convenient manner. We stopped in last week and here's my review: The chicken and broccoli casserole was outstanding.
dheun@sbcglobal.net